Researcn Publications of the University of Minnesota 

Vol. VIII No. 1 February, 1919 

Current ProDlems 
Numl>er 10 



The Relation between Dependency and Retardation: 

A Study of 1,351 Public School Children Known 

TO THE Minneapolis Associated Charities 

BY % 

Margaret Kent Beard. B.A. 




Price: 25 Cents 



A^j^Vcation for entry as second-class matter at the §ost-offtce at 
Minnea^lis, Minnetota, pending 



fejonograph. 



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(Continued inside back cover) 



Research Publications of the University of Minnesota 

Vol. VIII No. 1 February, 1919 



Current Problems 
Numter 10 



The Relation between Dependency and Retardation: 

A Study OF 1,351 Public School Children Known 

TO THE Minneapolis Associated Charities 



BY 



Margaret Kent Beard, B.A. 




A'^^lication for entry as second-class matter at the post-office at 
Minneapolis, JVfinnesota, pending 



Copyright 1919 

BY THE 

University of Minnesota 



D. •f 1. 

APR tt 1911 






i 



PREFACE 

It is the purpose of this preface to acknowledge the service 
rendered by various individuals, and to express my understand- 
ing of the scope of the following study. 

It is fitting that acknowledgment be made first to Mr. Frank J. 
Bruno, General Secretary of the Minneapolis Associated Chari- 
ties, who conceived the idea that such a survey be undertaken. 
To him, and, in as full measure, to Dr. Arthur J. Todd, Professor 
of Sociology at the University of Minnesota, I am indebted for 
encouragement and counsel in the development of the work. 

The Department of School Attendance, under the directorship 
of Mr. David H. Holbrook, was of great service in the collection 
of data. This department not only made accessible files and 
registers, and lent its name to printed circulars of inquiry, but 
also showed a very ready appreciation of the function of such 
work. Sincere thanks are due Superintendent B. B. Jackson 
whose letter of introduction acted as an "open sesame'ifcto the 
schools. The principals of the four schools — Miss Kate Allen 
of the Holland, Mr. Ernest J. Hardaker of the Logan, Miss 
Irene Joslin of the Lyndale, and Miss Maria A. Lynch of the 
Washington — gave many minutes of their valuable time, enabling 
me to make the respective statistics more accurate. 

Our schools are mines of material which by the researcher's 
perseverance and skill must be fused into a useful product. Indi- 
vidual experience isolated may mean little ; individual experience, 
amassed, arranged, interpreted, becomes history upon which the 
future may be builded. It is^ indeed a source of gratification 
when the officials of our ^cfiools^'appreciate this. 

I am grateful to Mfes*Jean E.'^'Hirsch of the Medical Art 
Shop at the University of Minnesota for giving her time and skill 
to the execution of the figures. 

The aim of the study has been to establish a definite relation- 
ship between dependency and retardation. It is hoped that in the 
future some one may make this complete and more valuable, first 
by determining how many dependent children there are in the 
Minneapolis Public Schools, and secondly by discovering those 
causes coexistent with dependency which are retarding the child. 
This work is, therefore, but the first of three steps. Moreover, 
it is an attempt in a field, at present, almost unentered by the 
research worker, and for that reason does not pretend to be 
other than a simple statement of facts. 

Margaret Kent Beard 



CONTENTS 

Page 

Introduction — Statement of the problem 1 

The norm established 1-9 

Introduction — necessity for a norm 1 

The typical group selected and characterized 1 

Definitions 2 

Sources of information 2 

Average retardation 2 

Average advancement 5 

Average age for each grade 8 

Summary 9 

Retardation among children of dependent families 9-16 

The typical group of dependent children selected and character- 
ized 9 

Definitions 10 

Sources of information for grades 10 

Sources of inforrfiation for birth dates 11 

Numbers eliminated and studied 11 

Distribution among grades and ages of number studied 12 

Retardation statistics 12 

Advancement statistics 12 

Average age for each grade 13 

Summary 16 

Conclusions based on facts 16 

The relationship between dependency and retardation 16 

The next steps to be taken 

Discovery of causes 16 

Elimination of retardation 17 



THE RELATION BETWEEN DEPENDENCY 
AND RETARDATION 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

Are the financial dependence of a family and the intellectual 
retardation of the children coexistent? Does the fact that the 
family can not independently maintain the normal standard of 
living mean that most likely the child can not maintain the normal 
standard of intellectual life as measured by school grades? This 
is the problem involved in seeking for the relation between de- 
pendency and retardation. The results of a study made in Min- 
neapolis, Minnesota, in 1917, are here given as an answer to the 
question. 

THE NORM ESTABLISHED 

Before discovering whether dependent families fuftiished a 
disproportionate share of retarders it was necessary to establish 
a "norm" or authoritative standard for measuring retardation. 
This was accomplished by determining the amount of retarda- 
tion in a typical group of school children. 

Four schools in Minneapolis were selected — the Y/ashington, 
the Lyndale, the Holland, and the Logan. These schools may be 
roughly characterized as follows. The Washington School rep- 
resented the most problematic district. Originally a pioneer resi- 
dence district, it had degenerated into a rooming-house section of 
the city. There was the problem of extreme poverty, of immo- 
rality, of congested living conditions, and of an alien population. 
There were but six grades in the Washington. The Lyndale 
School in contrast represented a prosperous residence section of 
the city which was inhabited by people of sturdy American stock. 
Most of the homes were owned by their residents, who were sal- 
aried men. There were still many open lots and plenty of play 
room. The Holland district presented the problem of a large 
foreign, non-English-speaking population, mostly Slavic. Many 
of the children attended parochial schools for several years. The 
Logan district was a combination of the best residence district 
of North Minneapolis and the worst. Like the Lyndale it rep- 
resented mainly a home-owning population. Unlike the Lyndale 
the population, largely German and Scandinavian, was of the 



2 MARGARET KENT BEARD 

successful wage-earning class rather than of the salaried class. ^ 
Such was the typical group chosen as the basis for determining 
retardation in the normal group. 

The study was based on the enrollment at a given date falling 
between Febrtiary 19, 1917 and March 14, 1917, when each school 
was surveyed. The ages were for February 1, 1917 — the begin- 
ning of the semester. The years of a child's age were counted 
only when they were completed; e.g. a child was not called 14 
unless he was fully 14 on February 1. "Normal age" was called 
6 to 8 years for the first grade, 7 to 9 years for the second grade, 
etc.^ "Retarded pupils" were those over normal age; "advanced 
pupils" were those under normal age. So that the school district 
might be especially typical, all children in "special rooms" for the 
defective or delinquent coming from the four districts were in- 
cluded in their own district. 

The sources of information were the teachers' registers for 
three schools. In these, September ages were given, to which 
five months were added to bring February ages. Some registers 
were much confused, and it was discovered that while some 
teachers determined ages by reference to birth dates on school 
nativity cards, others did so by asking the pupil. In the Logan, 
an age and* grade report for February 1, prepared by the prin- 
cipal, was used. For pupils in special rooms, birth-record cards 
v/ere used for ages, and as most of the special classes were un- 
graded, approximate grades were given. 

The four schools had an enrollment of 2,828 pupils ; 504 
pupils M^ere found to be retarded, or 17.8 per cent (see Figure 1). 

332 pupils or 11.74 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 

118 pupils or 4.17 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 

35 pupils or 1.23 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 

9 pupils or .32 per cent of the whole were retarded 4 years 

6 pupils or .21 per cent of the whole were retarded 5 years 

3 pupils or .1 per cent of the whole were retarded 6 years 

1 pupil or .03 per cent of the whole was retarded 7 years 

These 504 pupils represented 764 years of retardation. 



■^ This description was received from Miss Anne Ferguson, Public School At- 
tendance Department. 

- Normal age is so designated by Mr. Leonard Ayres in Laggards in Our Schools. 
It also follows that such would be normal when school entrance age is 6 to 7 years. 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 






Age o( Pupils 


m 


li 




4 3 G 7 8 9 10 11 IZ 


13 


14 


;:' :i 17 


m 


El 


Dl 31 


6^2 








J93 


21 


.10 


lA 




124 60 


19 


4 2 1 








2J0 

.156 



7 


2:6 


7 


91 


46 


7 1 4 


ZA 
3-0 


1 


84 


58 


18 4 £ 


1 




1 


.168 
JBl 


i 


25 




22 


93 43 


14 7 1 


3A 
4Ti 


5 


dS 


65 


15 


5 2 


1 
1 


2 
1 


3 


JB7 
176 


5 
33 


28 
23 


2 


3J 


88 


34 


16 5 


AA 


4 


65 68 


36 11 


3 


i 


2 


J90 


A 


!'3 


5B 


20 


76 48 


23 


7 


5 


^ 


J6,l 


20 


07 


5A 

6-6 


6 


72 


66 


26 


12 
25 


2 
3 


2 


.(85 

.17^ 


6 
3] 


:(0 


2 


29 


70 


42 


6A 
7B 


7 


81 


66 


28 


21 
22 


A 


2.10 
156 


7 
25 


56 
;10 


i 


24 


6) 


42 


7A 
6B 


J J8 


55 


55 
47 


37 


13 3 
17 5 


162 
J!7 


19 

!9 


55 
?.2 


1 


16 


29 


6A 


I 7 


66 


5d 


24 ;c 1 


.159 


6 


30 


Totals. £1 £63 205 5^6 3i0 326 378 318 


285 


173 


79 2- ] 


2628 


21 B 50^1 



Total number of pupils - £828 

Total number o[ pupils advanced 228 
Total number of pupils retarded ■ 5o4 

Figure 1. Holland, Logan, Lyndale, and Washington Schools 



The four schools individually presented the following results . 
In the Holland (see Figure 2) out of an enrollment of 694 pupils, 
140 pupils or 20.1 per cent were retarded. 

96 pupils or 13.8 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 

31 pupils or 4.5 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 

10 pupils or 1.4 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 

2 pupils or .3 per cent of the whole were retarded 5 years 

1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 6 years 

The 140 pupils were retarded 204 years. 

In the Logan (see Figure 3) out of an enrollment of 751, 117 
pupils or 15.5 per cent were retarded. 



MARGARET KENT BEARD 



80 pupils or 10.6 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 

26 pupils or 3.5 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 

9 pupils or 1.2 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 

1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 4 years 

1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 5 years 

The 117 pupils were retarded 168 years. 



0) 

1 


Age oj Pupils 


11^ 


1 


1 


4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 IE 


13 


14 15 16 IT 


IB 
1ft 


Z 


28 .7 
23 18 


3 1 

4 1 






41 

46 


2. 



4 
5 


ZB 


1 


24 10 


A 






39 


I 


4 


Ih 


1 


13 22 


4 I 






41 


1 


6 


^5 


I 


17 12 


4 3 






37 


1 


7 


3A 
4B 


<L 


13 lA 


3 






I 1 


44 
58 


Z 
3 


5 
G 


3 


2.1 


8 


5 I 


A^ 


I 


25 12 


5 i 


J 


J 


45 


2 


8 


5B 


3 


14 10 


1 


1 


£ 


37 


3 


10 


5A 

6B 


l 


15 


16 


6 


2 
6 


^ i 


41 
40 


^ 

5 


10 
9 




5 


16 10 


6A 
TB 




16 


11 


7 
17 


6 1 
& 5 


41 

5Z 





14 
13 




t 


20 


7A 


J 8 


24 


24 


15 6 1 


79 


9 


22 


6B 


5 


11 


8 


6 


30 


5 


G 


8A 




14 


17 


li 1 


43 





12 


Totals-. 2 53 65 74 91 61 85 87 


83 


59 ^52 2 


G94 


36 140 



Total nomber d| ■popils 

Total number of pupils advaticed 
Total. number of popils retarded 

Figure 2. Holland School 



694 
38 
14 o 



In the Lyndale (see Figure 4) out of an enroHment of 919 
pupils, 120 pupils or 13 per cent were retarded. 

76 pupils or 8.3 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 
ZZ pupils or 3.5 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 
7 pupils or .8 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 
1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 4 years 
1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded S years 
1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 6 years 
1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was retarded 7 years 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 



0) 


Age o( Pupils 


vS 4. 

Ill 

a. 


c 

5 


1 

< 

1 


4 5 6 r a 9 10 11 U J3 14 15 16 17 


IB 


11 


50 11 


3 1 


T6 


11 


4 


lA 




23 15 


4 


42, 





4 


^^B 


2 


IZ 9 


1 1 


35 


E 


a 


Ih 




^8 10 


3 1 


Al 





4 


3B 


7 


25 4 


2 £ 1 


41 


7 


5 


3A 


1 


31 8 


2. 


42 


1 


Z 


4B 


6 


lb S 


5 2 


44 


6 


7 


4A 




11 io 


11 3 


45 





14 


513 


6 


18 8 


6 3 2 J 


44 


6 


12 


5/\ 


1 


2.0 14 

1 


4 11 i 


4^ ' 


' 1 


7 


6B 


1 11 


19 7 


4 


4Z 


12 


4 


6A 


Z 


M 27 


10 4 4 


71 


2 


18 


7G 


" ' 8 


16 10 


5 


39 


8 


5 


7A 


3 


15 14 


7 1 I 


41 


3 


9 


8B 


I 


15 10 


6 


53 


d 


6 


8A 


5 


M 19 


7 7 


72. 


5 


14 


TotalSJ 11 75 84 88 61 85 94 88 91 48 19 9 


751 GG 117 



To1al number o) pupils _.T5l 

Total Dumber of popils advanced C>0> 

Toldl nomber o( pupils retarded 117 

Figure 3. Logan School 

The 120 pupils represented 185 years of retai'dation. 

In the Washington (see Figure 5) out of an enrollment of 
464 pupils, 127 pupils or 27.3 per cent were retarded. 

80 pupils or 17.2 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 

28 pupils or 6.0 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 

9 pupils or 2.0 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 

7 pupils or 1.5 per cent of the whole were retarded 4 years 

2 pupils or .4 per cent of the whole were retarded 5 years 

1 pupil or .2 per cent of the whole was retarded 6 years 

The 127 pupils represented 207 years of retardation. 

The four schools with their enrollment of 2,828 showed 228 
pupils or 8 per cent advanced — that is under normal age (see 
Figure 1). 



6 MARGARET KENT BEARD 

220 pupils or 7.8 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 
8 pupils or .2 per cent of the whole were advanced 2 years 

The total number of years advanced by the 228 pupils was 236 
5^ears. 



i 


Age of FVjpils 




1 


& 


4 G T 6 9 10 li la 


13 14 15 


16 17 


le 


5 


3c 5 








42, 


5 





£13 




45 


15 


3 






65 
49 



3 


3 
3 




"3 


3^ 9 


3 


£A 




29 it 


4 1 






43 





5 


5B 


9 


5Z 16 


J I 




1 


60 


9 


3 


5A 
AH 




38 


21 


All 


1 1 

I 




69 
64 



(6 


iO 
7 




16 


35 6 


4 2 


5G 


t 


31 


Z[ 


7 


I 


I 




62 
60 


2 
8 


8 

3 




8 


31 


18 


£ 


5i\ 
613 


3 


29 


2£ 


6 


A 1 1 
4 




66 

57 


3 
13 


12 
4 


i 


12 


^4 


16 


7S 


3 


26 


17 


3 


5 1 




55 
67 


3 
15 


9 
12 


1 


14 


25 


15 


9 3 


8B 


7 


16 


17 


15 


6 


1 
5 


62. 
54 


7 

12 


22, 
10 


1 


11 


2.1 


11 


5 


6 A 


1 2 


18 H 


6 


2 I 


44 


3 


9 


TTjtals: C 5 6a 92 ill 1E2 109 127 1.00 


84 56 23 


9 1 


919 


99 120 



Tolal number o{ pupils 919 

Total number oj- pupib advanced-- 99 
Total number of pupib retarded 120 

Figure 4. Lyndale School 



The report for the individual schools was as follows. From 
the Holland's enrollment (Figure 2) of 694, 38 pupils or 5.4 per 
cent were advanced. 

37 pupils or 5.3 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 
1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was advanced 2 years 

The total number of years advanced was 39. 

From the enrollment of 751 pupils in the Logan (Figure 3) 
66 pupils or 8.7 per cent were advanced. 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 



1 


A^e of Pupi Is 


— a- J) 


5 
2 




4 5 6 7 


6 9 10 II 12, 


13 14 15 IG ir 


IB 


3 


21 S 


Z 




34 


3 


2 


lA 




33 


1£ 


8 


3 2 1 




59 
33 




1 


14 
3 




I 


11 


18 


3 


3B 




14 


15 


7 


1 Z 


1 


4o 
43 



5 


11 
8 


J 


19 


11 


7 1 


3A 
4B 


Z 
Z 


T 


12 


6 


3 


J 1 
1 


32, 
32 


2 
8 


11 
3 


6 


7 


14 


2 


4A 






15 


13 6 


2 1 1 


38 





23 


5B 




3 


13 12 


S 


2 1 1 


40 


3 


12 


5A 
6B 






10 


14 


T 


5 
11 i 1 


36 
34% 



1 


12 
13 




I 


11 9 


6A 




I 


15 11 


6 6 1 


43 


2. 


15 


75 














7A 














8B 














6A 














Totals: 3 55 54 


73 46 73 72 43 


30 10 5 


464 


25 127 



Total number q\ pupi's 464 

Total numbs'" o\ pupi Is ddvonced — 25 
Total number of pupils r^arded — 127 

IK. UKL 5. Washington School 

65 pupils or 8.6 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 

1 pupil or .1 per cent of the whole was advanced 2 years 

These represent 67 years of advancement. 

From the enrollment of 919 pupils in the Lyndale (Figure 4) 
99 pupils or 10.7 per cent were advanced. 

95 pupils or 10.3 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 
4 pupils or .4 per cent of the whole were advanced 2 years 

The 99 were advanced 103 years. 

From the enrollment in the Washington (Figure 5) of 464 
pupils, 25 pupils or 5.3 per cent were advanced. 

23 pupils or 4.9 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 

2 pupils or .4 per cent of the whole were advanced 2 years 

These represent 27 years of advancement. 



MARGARET KENT BEARD 



Normal age, as has been said, was called 6 to 8 years for 
the first grade, 7 to 9 years for the second grade, etc. Was the 
actual average different from the theoretical normal age? The 
statistics for average age computed from the four schools were 
as follows : 



Grade Age 

IB. ... 6.17 years 

2B 7.45 years 

3B 8.44 years 

4B 9.3 years 

SB 10.71 years 

6B 11.54 years 

7B 12.49 years 

8B 13.50 years 



For 

three 

schools 



Grade Age 

lA 6.57 years 

2A 7.67 years 

3A 8.81 years 

4A 10.08 years 

5A 10.89 years 

6A 11.97 years 

7A 12.84 years 

8A 13.63 years 



Individually the schools showed the following results : 



Holland 



Grade Age 

IB 6.3 years 

2B 7.6 years 

3B 8.7 years 

4B 9.4 years 

5B 10.86 years 

6B 11.6 years 

7B 12.88 years 

8B 13.5 years 



Grade Age 

IB 6.1 years 

2B 7.3 years 

3B 8.26 years 

4B 9.3 years 

5B 10.81 years 

6B 11.4 years 

7B 12.3 years 

8B 13.6 years 



Gradh 
lA. 
2A. 
3A. 
4A. 



Age 



6.7 
7.7 
8.9 
9.7 



years 
years 
years 
years 



Logan 



Lyndale 



Grade 



Age 



IB 6.0 years 



2B. 
3B, 
4B, 



7.2 years 

8.3 years 
9.1 years 



5A 10.87 years 

6A; 12.1 years 

7A 12.83 years 

8A 14. years 



Grade Age . 

lA 6.5 years 

2A 7.4 years 

3A 8.26 years 

4A 10.10 years 

5A 10.81 years 

6A 12.02 years 

7A 12.7 years 

SA 13.6 years 



Grade Age 

lA 6.3 years 

2A 7.9 years 

3A 8.8 years 

4A 9.5 years 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 



Grade 
5B.. 
6B.. 
7B.. 



Age 

10.2 years 
.11.1 years 

12.3 years 

13.4 years 



Lyndale {Continued) 
Grade 
5A.. 
6A.. 
7A.. 
8A.. 



xAge 
10.7 years 
,11.7 years 
13.0 years 
13.3 years 



Washington 



Grade 

IB.. 
2B.. 
3B.. 
4B.. 
5B.. 



6.3 
7.7 
8.5 
9.4 
11. 



years 
years 
years 
years 
years 



Grade 
lA.. 
2A.. 
3A.. 



Age 
.... 6.8 years 
.... 8.2 years 
.... 9.3 years 

4A 11.05 years 

5A 11.2 years 

6A 12.09 years 



6B 12.08 years 

To summarize, 17.8 per cent of retardation is contrasted with 
8 per cent of advancement; 764 years of retardation with 236 of 
advancement. The Lyndale School, representing families living 
much above the marginal standard of living, presented the lowest 
retardation per cent and the highest advancement per cent, while 
the Washington with its many dependent families shoAved the 
opposite results. The average age was found in all but one grade 
to be in the first year of the two years called normal. The one 
grade showing an exception was 4A, which instead of giving an 
average age of 9-1- gave 10.08 years. This would indicate that 
retardation was especially acute at that period. In comparing the 
Washington and Lyndale, it was found that while the Washing- 
ton had 12.08 and 12.09 years as average ages for 6B and 6A 
grades, the Lyndale had 11.1 and 11.7, a difference in 6B of 
nearly a year. The 4A grade presented the most striking con- 
trast — 11.05 years for the Washington and 9.5 in the Lyndale — • 
thus showing the pupils in the Washington 1.55 years older. 
These facts alone forecast the deduction that there is a definite 
relation between dependency and retardation. 

RETARDATION AMONG CHILDREN OF DEPENDENT 
FAMILIES 

Having determined normal school progress, thereby establish- 
ing a standard by which the retardation of children of dependent 
families might be measured, the next step was to select a typical 
group of these children. This was accomplished, it was judged, 



10 MARGARET KENT BEARD 

by considering the children from the families coming under the 
care of the Minneapolis Associated Charities between October, 
1916 and March, 1917. 

In general, children falling between the ages of 6 and \6, on 
February 1, 1917, were selected from the records for study. The 
grade for each child was established at any specific time, and the 
age at the beginning of that semester ascertained. Such proce- 
dure caused variation in dates but prevented the dropping of 
many children who could not be located at one set time. Most 
of the grades and ages were for February 1, 1917, a large num- 
ber were for September 1, 1917, while smaller numbers were for 
February, 1918, February and September, 1916 and 1915. 

The sources of information for the grades of the children 
were fivefold, being, in order of the frequency of their use, grade 
record cards, teachers' registers, school directories, the child's 
teacher, and the principal's memory. The relative merits of these 
are varied. Most accurate were the grade record cards. As 
these were classified generally according to grades and were often 
distributed in the rooms, it was not practical or possible to use 
them entirely. When these cards were once located their in- 
formation was authoritative. Least trustworthy were the prin- 
cipal's memory and an old directory wherein the advance from 
the fall grade to the spring grade was not consistently noted. 
In ascertaining grades the greatest difficulty lay in the location 
of the child. The school district he was in at the time the Asso- 
ciated Charities case was active was very often not the one he 
was in at the time of the study. The schools of Minneapolis have 
not yet afforded the expense of an alphabetical file for all pupils 
giving their school district. Therefore when a child had once 
moved and his census card was transferred to his new district, 
he was extremely difficult to find. Two other methods were used 
to find the grades of children who had moved from the original 
school which they attended at the time the Associated Charities 
case was active. The first was made possible by Mr. David H. 
Holbrook, director of the Department of Attendance and Voca- 
tional Guidance of the Board of Education. To forty-five school 
principals, circulars containing children's names were mailed with 
the request that the grades and present place of attendance be 
indicated. In this wav some 227 children were locpted. The 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 11 

second method used for obtaining the grades of the residue of 
children still remaining was the telephoning of schools. 

The birth dates of the children were taken from the school 
census cards. These dates are considered sufficiently reliable for 
court evidence and are secured from "nativity cards" filled out at 
home by the parents of the child. In comparing them with the 
dates given on the Associated Charities records, many differences 
were found. As the Associated Charities records did not com- 
pletely give the birth dates for all the children, and as the method 
of obtaining them was usually subtraction by each Visitor of the 
given age, and was not done with pencil and paper in hand at 
the time of receiving the information, it was decided that of the 
two the school census cards were more accurate. However, in 
cases where deception was purposed, it is realized that a^^es given 
the school tended to be older than was true, for two reasons. An 
over busy parent may first have wished to enter the child in 
school early, and secondly, may have planned to secure an em- 
ployment certificate for him as soon as possible. In regard to 
ages, it is especially emphasized that a child was not called, for 
example, 14 on February 1, 1917, unless he had fully completed 
his fourteenth year at that time — even if the incompleteness may 
have been only one day. This tended toward the report showing 
children younger than they were and explains, for example, the 
twelve five-year-old children in IB grade (Figure 6) who were in 
reality probably six during the first month of the semester. This 
was the basis upon which the study of normal retardation was 
made. 

Such was the method of procedure. The names of 2,052 chil- 
dren were taken from the Associated Charities records. Of 
these, 386 children could not be located, and for 41 the birth dates 
could not be found, as the school census cards were misplaced ; 
226 children were listed as attending parochial schools although 
their attendance there was not verified. These children were 
dropped as the normal retardation in parochial schools was not 
known. Twenty children had employment certificates and were 
therefore not in school, 14 had "home permits," 11 were in spe- 
cial state schools such as state reformatories, hospitals, or feeble- 



12 MARGARET KENT BEARD 

minded homes, and 3 were married. This made a total of 701 
who were ehminated, leaving 1,351 of whom the study was made. 

These 1,351 pupils were, of course, distributed among the dif- 
ferent grades and ages in proportions different from the 2,828 
pupils in the four schools (Figures 1 and 6). The first, second, 
and third grades numbered respectively 237, 202, and 193 pupils 
of the 1,351, while the eighth grade had only 74 members. There 
was a drop from 137 in the seventh grade to 74 in the eighth, 
which may be partially accounted for by the fact that some be- 
coming 16 years of age in the seventh grade may have left school 
to be wage earners. Swelled numbers in the lower grades and 
scant numbers in the higher grades may also be due to the greater 
number of 3^oung children in dependent families. This may ex- 
plain too the disproportionately large number of children young 
in 3'ears. Among the 1,351, the maximum number in any year 
group was 182 who were 8 years of age. The numbers in the 
other year groups were almost uniformly graduated from this 
maximum. That the maximum number was not 6 or 7 years 
old, as the grade distribution would indicate, may be accounted 
for by the fact that the compulsory education law does not 
force the child to be in school till he is 8 years old. 

Of the 1,351 pupils, 418 were retarded or 30.94 per cent (Fig- 
ure 6). 

232 pupils or 17.17 per cent of the whole were retarded 1 year 

119 pupils or 8.81 per cent of the whole were retarded 2 years 

42 pupils or 3.11 per cent of the whole were retarded 3 years 

17 pupils or 1.26 per cent of the whole were retarded 4 years 

3 pupils or .22 per cent of the whole were retarded 5 years 

5 pupils or .37 per cent of the whole were retarded 6 years 

The 418 pupils represented 709 years of retardation. 

Among the same 1,351 pupils there were 80 advanced pupils 
or 5.92 per cent. 

75 pupils or 5.55 per cent of the whole were advanced 1 year 
5 pupils or .37 per cent of the whole were advanced 2 years 

The 80 pupils thus represented 85 years of advancement. 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION ' 



13 



I 


Ag^ 


o\ Pupils 








-11 


1 


"8 
1 


4 5 & 7 8 9 


10 11 12 


13 14 


15 


16 17 


1-B 


1 11 


IZ 26 


12 










J22 


\z 


12 


lA 


1 


Z\ 


63 


IS 


8 


2 1 1 
S 1 


I 






115 
lOB 


1 

9 


30 
19 




9 


37 


43 


11 


Ih 




29 33 


15 


11 ^ 1 


3 






94 





32 


3^ 


6 


^2 11 


10 3 2 


J 1 


) 




88 


6 


18 


3A 
4B 


2 


Z\ 


46 


19 


8 S 


2 

2 3 


1 




lo5 
79 


2 

10 


3G 

26 




10 


22 


21 


12 9 


^A 
5R 


1 


2! 


35 


16 


10 


4 1 
7 2 


2 




86 

90 


1 
12 


31 
26 


1 


11 


26 


24 


15 


5A 
615 


1 1 


19 


27 


15 


17 6 
15 5 


5 
t 




93» 
78 


2 
8 


45 
22, 


8 


29 


19 


6A 
7B 




4 


15 


24 


22 


9 


7 
8 


I 
2 


82 
62. 


4 
3 


25 




3 


)7 


la 


15 


7A 

85 




6 


15 


J6 


IZ 


13 
8 


2 

J 


74 
39 


6 

3 


37 
9 


£ 


1 


IT 


10 


8A 




1 


9 12 


7 


4 


33 


1 


IJ 


Totals: 1 \Z 102. IGTi 162. 1ST 


163 149 136 


131 91 


54 


10 


1351 


80 4l8 



Tolal number o{- pupils - 1351 

Told! number o( pupils advaoced -■• 80 
Total number o{ popih r^arded- - 4 18 

Figure 6. Associated Charities 



The dependent group showed the following average ages for 
each grade. 

Grade Age Grade Age 

IB 6.30 years 1 A 7.22 years 

2B 7.77 years 2A 8.38 years 

3B 8.80 years 3A 9.40 years 

4B 10.07 years 4A 10.32 years 

5B 10.99 years SA 11.74 years 

6B 1 1.82 years 6x\ 12.51 years 

7B 13.22 years 7A 13.36 years 

8B 13.61 years . 8A 14.12 years 






u (U <» 




S.t^^ 




^^e""' 




o^^.S 


,*o 


•5 ^ 


■Xi 


en of 
group 
etarde 


PQ 




03 


■^ G o 


<r 


S^- 


t— 


i-s^- 


^ 


bet 
s, or 
ents 




W5 <u V? 


<■ 


<u-j3 Ji 


^ 




m 


a-G ^ 


■vD 


y o 


-f 


a^3 


to 


G.S .^ 




•" o tn 


en 


G go 


liO 


o tA o 




•^<;^ 




cd cj- 




rt3 CU U3 






M 




"S O ° 


pu 




T 


oj G (p. 




> u-^ 




•^-S^" 




mpara 
id chil 
ed in 




o ™ t-, 




-c 




tvj 


a ^ ^ 


(Q 


O '^G.Si 








G , Oi. 






^- g is 






W u, 00 t3 




« O +J (U- 


■ 


P - !^ t^ 




,- m tU ™ 




" O 0) " 




Ph o 5; 9 




^ ft^. 




O 0) J^ 



16 MARGARET KENT BEARD 

To summarize and interpret these figures, 30.94 per cent of 
die children in dependent famihes are retarded compared to 17.8 
per cent in the average group. (See Figure 7.) Five hundred ' 
and four pupils of the normal group represent 764 years of 
retardation, while only 418 of the dependent group represent 709 
years. Of the dependent pupils, 5.92 per cent are advanced, while 
8 per cent of the normal group are advanced. (See Figure 8.) 
Average ages present a striking contrast. As has been before 
noted, average age in the normal group was, in all but one grade, 
the first year of the two years called normal. In the dependent 
group, average age in all of the A grades and in two of the B 
grades was in the second year of the two years called normal. 
The two B grades having an average age in the second normal 
year were 4B and 7B. The grade showing most retardation in 
the normal group studied was 4A. The greatest difference be- 
tween average age in the dependent group and in the normal 
group was found in 5A grade, the former being .85 years older. 
The least difference was in 8B and IB — the former being .11 and 
.13 years respectively older. The dependent group were on the 
average A6-\- year, or nearly one half a year, older than the nor- 
mal group; 

CONCLUSIONS BASED ON FACTS 

Since, therefore, out of each 100 children of the normal 
group, approximately 18 will be retarded, while out of each 100 
children of dependent families, approximately 31 will be re- 
tarded; since the average ages in the latter group are markedly 
higher — the increase ranging from 1 or 2 months to over 10 
months, and averaging nearly half of a year — it is to be con- ^ 
eluded that dependency has some vital -connection with retarda- 
tion. Until we know the total number of retarded children in the 
public schools and the total number of retarded children of de- 
pendent families in the public schools, the proportion of retarders 
furnished by dependent families can not be stated. However, 
we do here know that families below the normal standard of 
living are furnishing 13 more retarded children in every 100 than 
is their share. 

We have the fact established. Next to be determined are 
those causes of retardation which are the inevitable accompani- 
ments of dependency. Is it malnutrition, is it continual shifting 



DEPENDENCY AND RETARDATION 17 

of the family from one locality to another, is it late school en- 
trance, is it bad heredity, is it merely lack of intellectual back- 
ground — what is it in the life of the dependent family that is re- 
tarding the child ? 

Having established the fact and determined the causes, the 
next question is, Why shall we eliminate retardation ? What will 
happen if we do not cure or prevent it ? Individually the retarded 
child is below the normal standard of mentality. He has not 
learned in the few years of his life as much of the 3 R's as his 
fellow mates. He has not kept up with the race. But from the 
broader viewpoint of the common welfare, the retarded child, 
a future citizen, is starting his life as a social misfit. Unless 
some adjustment occurs, he, as an adult, will still be a misfit, a 
laggard in the social group. The efficiency of the state, therefore, 
demands not that the child who is retarded be merely carried 
along by the school from 3^ear to year till the law allows him 
to drop out uneducated and inefQcient, but that the fact of his 
retardation be faced squarely with a sound program to involve ; 
first, amelioration of the existing condition by placing him where 
he receives specialized attention; second and more important, an 
attack individually and socially on the causes of his condition, 
that retardation mav in the future be eliminated. 



STUDIES IN ENGINEERING 

1. George Alfred Maney, Secondary Stresses and Other Problems in Rigid 
Frames: A New Method of Solution. 1915. $0.25. 

2. Charles Franklin Shoop^ An Investigation of the Concrete Road-Making 
Properties of Minnesota Stone and Gravel. 1915. $0.25. 

3. Frankun R. McMillan, Shrinkage and Time Effects in Reinforced Concrete. 
1915. $0.25. 

STUDIES IN THE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 

1. Herbert G. Lampson, A Study on the Spread of Tuberculosis in Families. 
1913. $0.50. 

2. JxTLius V. HoFMANN, The Importance of Seed Characteristics in the Natural 
Reproduction of Coniferous Forests. 1918. $0.25. 

STUDIES IN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 

1. Esther L. Swenson, An Inquiry into the Composition and Structure of Ludus 
Coventriae; Hardin Craig, Note on the Home of Ludus Coventrif^. 1914. $0.50. 

2. Elmer Edgar Stoll, Othello: An Historical and Comparative Studj'. 1915. 
$0.50. 

3. CoLiERT Searles, Les Sentiments de I'Academie Frangaise sur le Cid: Edition 
of the Text, with an Introduction. 1916. $1.00, 

4. Paul Edward Kretzmann, The Liturgical Element in the Earliest Forms of 
the Medieval Drama. 1916. $1.00. 

5. Arthur Jerrold Tieje, The Theory of Characterization in Prose Fiction prior 
to 1740. 1916. $0.75. 

6. Marie C. Lyle, The Original Identity of the York and Towneley Cycles. In 
press. 

7. Elmer Edgar Stoll, Hamlet: An Historical and Comparative Study. In press. 

CURRENT PROBLEMS 

1. William Anderson, The Work of Public Service Commissions. 1913. $0.15. 

2. Benjamin F. Pittenger, Rural Teachers' Training Departments in Minnesota 
High Schools. 1914. $0.15. 

3. Gerhard A. Gesell, Minnesota Public Utility Rates. 1914. $0.25. 

4. L. D. H. Weld, Social and Economic Survey of a Community in the Red River 
Valley. 1915. $025. 

5. GusTAV p. Warber, Social and Economic Survey of a Community in North- 
eastern Minnesota. 1915. $0.25. 

6. Joseph B. Pike, Bulletin for Teachers of Latin. 1915. $025. 

7. August C. Krey, Bulletin for Teachers of History, 1915. $025. 

8. Carl Schlenker, Bulletin for Teachers of German. 1916. $025. 

9. William Watts Folwell, Economic Addresses, 1918. $0.50. 

10. Margaret Kent Beard, The Relation between Dependency and Retardation : A 
Study of 1,351 Public School Children Known to the Minneapolis Associated Charities. 
1919. $0.25. 

11. Thomas S. Roberts, A Review of the Ornithology of Minnesota, In press. 



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